Burton sees red as Charlton draw
LONDON, England (CMC) — Trinidadian international Rickey Shakes scored the winner for Ebbsfleet United in a close encounter, but there was no such glory for Jamaican striker Deon Burton, who was sent off as nine-man Charlton snatched a late draw yesterday.
The 24-year-old Shakes, who played a single game for Trinidad & Tobago three years ago, was on target 11 minutes from the end to give south-east England outfit a 2-1 win over Grays Athletic in the Conference.
Burton, who has already scored 12 goals this season, made headlines for all the wrong reasons when he was given his marching orders in the 41st minute for a second yellow card resulting from a deliberate hand ball.
Despite his absence, promotion-hunting Charlton Athletic still managed a 2-2 draw with Swindon Town after a late goal deep in injury time at the end.
The unsettled Shakes, who has played for six clubs in as many years, came to his side’s rescue just when the game seemed headed for a stalemate.
Brazilian Magno Vieira put Ebbsfleet ahead in the 10th minute but James Ryan hauled Grays Athletic level in the 31st minute, to leave the scores deadlocked at the half-time break.
On resumption, neither team could find the precious goal but Shakes carved out the winner in the 79th minute, to give Ebbsfleet victory.
At The Valley in south-east London, Charlton survived two sending-offs to grab a share of the points and continue in second spot in the League One standings.
The hosts were reduced to 10 men following San Sodje;s bad tackle on Jon-Paul McGovern in the 18th minute but they still took the lead in the 38th minute when Jonjo Shelvey buried Akpo Sodje’s pass.
Burton, on course for his highest season tally ever, was sent off three minutes later and after the break, sustained Swindon pressure resulted in Charlie Austin (56th) and Billy Paynter (74th) sending the visitors 2-1 ahead.
They thought they had stolen full points when Spaniard Miguel Angel Llera produced a clinical finish in the dying seconds of the game to salvage a point for Charlton.